27. Dioscorea velutipes Prain & Burkill, J. Proc. Asiat. Soc. Bengal. 10: 19. 1914.
毡毛薯蓣 zhan mao shu yu
Rootstock unknown. Stem twining to left, densely tawny pubescent, ± glabrescent. Leaves alternate, simple; petiole (3--)4--6(--10) cm; leaf blade triangular-cordate, 6--12 × 4--8 cm, adaxially glabrous, abaxially tawny pubescent, basal veins 7 or 9, outermost ones not reaching apex, base cordate with rounded sinus, apex acuminate. Male thyrses solitary or 2 or 3 together, to 13 cm, occasionally borne on specialized, short, axillary shoots, tawny pubescent. Male flowers: in dense cymules of 2--4(--6), rarely solitary; bracts reddish brown dotted, ovate or narrowly so, ca. 2 mm, apex acuminate or sharply so; perianth ± densely yellowish pubescent at base, lobes elliptic, 2--3 × 0.8--1 mm, very sparsely pubescent; stamens 6, filaments longer than anthers, anthers dorsifixed, introrse. Female spike solitary, to 20 cm. Female flowers: staminodes present, inserted on perianth lobes; style cylindric, stigma 3-fid. Capsule reflexed, oblong, 1.8--2.3 cm, glabrescent, base rounded, apex emarginate; wings 0.5--0.7 cm wide, slightly wider apically, usually slightly undulate. Seeds inserted near base of capsule, wing pointing toward capsule apex. Fl. Jul--Sep, fr. Sep--Oct.
Forests, mountain slopes; 500--2400 m. Guizhou, Yunnan [Myanmar, N Thailand].